Bullet found at New England primary school polling place ahead of Joyce by-election

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New England will vote in a by-election this weekend, with Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce the overwhelming favourite despite running a low-key campaign.

UpdatedUpdated 01/12/2017

By
James Elton-Pym

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A bullet has been found on the grounds of a public school that will host a polling station for tomorrow's New England by-election, along with a note threatening a shooting on Saturday, according to police accounts.

NSW Police said the bullet discovered at Quirindi Public School was not related to the election, but confirmed they would provide extra security around the polling booths tomorrow.

“Police from the Oxley Local Area Command are investigating after the discovery of an item and graffiti at an educational facility in Quirindi,” a NSW Police spokesman told The Australian newspaper.

“Police ... will maintain a police presence at the location throughout the day on Saturday (tomorrow).”

Barnaby Joyce's electorate office also reported receiving a bullet in the mail in early November, accompanied by threats that appeared to be motivated by environmental politics - including the sender's opposition to the controversial Adani coal mine, which Mr Joyce supports.

The Nationals leader is widely expected to comfortably win the New England by-election this weekend, but his primary vote could take a hit if voters punish the troubled Turnbull government.

Mr Joyce will almost certainly regain the NSW seat in the absence of a high-profile opponent when almost 110,000 voters go to the polls on Saturday.

Betting websites have Mr Joyce as the overwhelming favourite.

The former deputy prime minister won the seat with 58.5 per cent of the two-party preferred vote in 2016 against nine other candidates.